


Runaway Groom

by Pixiesnix



Category: Would I Lie To You? RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-23
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-12-19 02:25:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11887947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixiesnix/pseuds/Pixiesnix
Summary: In this third installment of the Highwayman series, David faces a fate worse than death...marriage.





	Runaway Groom

**Author's Note:**

> As with the other fics in this series, this work is a little more of a bodice-ripper (or rather, waistcoat-ripper) than others. I hope you enjoy.
> 
> Special thanks to queerdow for giving me the idea for this installment. I was very inspired!

MAY 1778

David frowned at his reflection in the looking glass. He looked like a fop, a great dressed-up twit. He tugged at the lace at his neck, smoothed his hair, and wondered how long he could delay the inevitable. 

He was standing in a room of St. Paul’s Cathedral, listening as music from the church organ droned on. Somewhere else in the ancient building, his bride awaited. He frowned again at himself, thinking back at how he’d gotten himself into this mess.

It had been two years since his steamy encounter with Lee in the forest, a year and a half since Lee had visited him in his bedchamber for the first time. There had been many other visits that followed. Some nights, they’d barely spoken two words before Lee had ripped off David’s nightshirt and taken him hard, making him cry out with pleasure. Other nights Lee was teasing and playful, slowly working David’s body, pausing to make a wicked joke or a lascivious comment before his mouth and hands resumed driving him mad with erotic torture.

The time after always varied as well. Sometimes Lee would hold David silently, gently stroking his hair or nuzzling his neck until they were both ready again. Other times they would talk for hours, until the sun slid above the horizon and pierced the crack in the bedcurtains. 

They had shared much during these talks---their pasts, their hopes for the future, their most precious secrets. Over time, David felt he was closer to Lee than any other person on Earth. He felt his heart slip away from himself and into Lee’s large, capable hands. He had no qualms about this, as he trusted Lee to never hurt him intentionally. There was something in his smile, the way Lee always showed concern for him, the love David saw in his eyes during those moonlit encounters that let him know there was nothing to fear.

Then, suddenly, the visits stopped. As before, David was sent into a spiral of fear and doubt. Was it him? Was it something he had done? He looked every night for a month for Lee’s return, only to sink back onto his pillows, his soul wracked with pain and uncertainty.

One day, while reading the morning journal, he saw a headline about Lee. It said he’d been captured the month before and was being held at Newgate Prison. The prosecutor had issued a statement to the press, crowing about how the notorious highwayman had been captured. The article went on to say that the prosecutor expected to not only win the case, but get a life sentence for Lee. David’s heart had sunk into his abdomen and a cold chill had slithered through his veins.

Over the course of the next few days, David made inquiries into the possibility of releasing him, or at least lessening Lee’s sentence. When asked why he cared so much about the case of a notorious criminal, a scalawag who so happily flouted the law, David made the excuse that he thought the sentence was too harsh, as Lee had never killed anyone. In fact, Lee had become something of a folk hero. He was always polite and courteous to his victims, indeed his dashing charm made them almost happy to part with their valuables. This, according to the prosecutor, was why Lee’s sentence was so harsh. He had to be made an example. With David’s hopes for Lee’s released dashed, he had tried to visit him in prison. He had to at least talk to him, hear his voice, look into those piercing grey eyes. Lee had refused to see him. This blow hit David the hardest, as he felt not only separated from the only person he’d ever loved, but rejected by him.

The months that followed were a dreadful blur. He felt his heart had turned to stone, and a horrible nothingness overtook him. He wouldn’t go to parties, he wouldn’t see his friends. He threw himself into his work, the only thing that gave him any solace. He would come home at night to a house empty save for the servants, and go to sleep in a bed now cold and lonely.

Eventually, his friends, tired of David’s melancholy, had cajoled him into attending a party a magistrate was throwing at his estate. The real reason for this affair, it was rumored, was so that the magistrate’s more-than-eligible daughter could find a suitable match. 

He was introduced to Elizabeth by his friend James that evening. She was beautiful, well educated, and possessed a keen wit.

He disliked her almost instantly. 

There was something about her, a falseness of spirit, a deceitful intention in her eyes that turned his stomach. He was too numb to notice her flirtations, the giggles behind her silk fan, but her father was not. He saw, as his daughter did, that David made a most eligible (i.e., wealthy) match for Elizabeth, who was not getting any younger.

Many parties followed after that night, and Elizabeth always seemed to be present. She fawned and cooed over him, but she could did not charm him. He saw too clearly the way she looked down her nose at those she thought were inferior to her. He noticed that while she advocated a high degree of sentiment, compassion and kindness were not part of her character. He watched as her upper lip curled when addressing servants. He listened as she casually slipped praise for herself (couched in false modesty) into seemingly every conversation. 

Worst of all he saw, when she thought he wasn’t looking, how pleased with herself she was, especially when it came to courting David. He watched as she vainly congratulated herself on every strike of Cupid’s arrow she thought she had made upon his heart. He was polite to her, as he would be to any lady, and she arrogantly interpreted that courtesy as abject adoration. He cringed inwardly as she paraded him in front of her jealous friends, nattering on about what a great love they had, how happy they were.

Still, David was too broken to offer much resistance. He saw little point, as his romantic life was over almost as soon as it had begun. He reasoned that he might as well advance his career, and this match would certainly do that. He was engaged before he knew what was happening.

And here he was, about to marry a woman he didn’t love. He was about to pledge his heart, his estate and his bed to that mercenary creature, when the person he belonged to languished in some godforsaken hole.

He sighed one last time at his image in the looking glass, now resigned to his fate. He turned to head toward the door, half-wondering if there was anything in the room with which he could hang himself. His eyes widened and a small yelp escaped his lips as he found himself spun around and pushed against the wall. His startled gaze met with a pair of piercing grey eyes.

“And where do you think you’re goin’?”

“Lee!” David threw himself into his arms, kissing him with passionate abandon. Lee returned the kiss with equal ardor for a moment before tearing away and glaring at him with steely anger.

“So I go away for a little while, and what do you do? You get engaged to the first rich bitch that’s tossed in front of you!” Lee gritted his teeth, planting his hand on the wall next to David’s head. David winced, afraid, not of Lee’s violence, for he knew he needn’t fear that. He was afraid of breaking Lee’s heart.

“Lee…it’s not…I don’t love her!” David sputtered. “I don’t even like her!”

Lee’s expression softened, his hand pushing away from the wall to cup David’s face. “Then why?” He couldn’t disguise the hurt in his voice.

David pulled Lee closer, examining him. He was thinner and looked haggard. His clothes hung loosely on him now, yet he still gave off an aura of power. His stubble had grown into a full beard, but even in his weakened state, it made him look all the more commanding. David’s heart ached for him while at the same time his cock swelled at being so near him again.  


“I tried to set you free, but the prosecutor wasn’t having it. I tried to visit you in prison…why didn’t you want to see me?” 

Lee looked down, then back up with an expression David had never seen him wear before—shame.

“I didn’t want you to see me like that, David,” Lee said quietly. “I didn’t want you to see me in chains, a common prisoner. I wanted…” Lee sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Hell, David, I don’t know what I wanted. Not this, though.” He gestured at David’s wedding attire.

David looked down at himself, and echoed Lee’s sigh. “It wasn’t what I wanted, either.” He looked back up at Lee, his enormous brown eyes full of regret. “I wanted you, Lee. And when you were captured…I didn’t know what to do. I was lost.”

Lee scowled. “And this Liz trollop pounced.”

David nodded. “I don’t want this. I never did.” He swallowed. “I want you, Lee. I…love you.” His heart beat in his throat, waiting for Lee’s response

Lee examined David, searching his earnest dark eyes. Then his own eyes twinkled. “Well, David. If you love me and I love you, then there’s only one thing to do, isn’t there?”

David’s mouth curved into an elated grin, “What’s that?”

Lee led David to the open window through which he had entered. “I have to rescue you.”

• * * * *

 

They arrived several hours later at a small cottage in the woods outside London. Thankfully their escape had gone smoothly, though no doubt David’s would-be bride was, at this very moment, pitching a screaming fit at his getaway. Lee dismounted and helped David down, giving him several scorching kisses before taking his hand and leading him into the cottage.

One inside, David looked around as Lee lit some candles and got a fire going. The cottage was sparsely furnished to be sure, but it was clean and tidy. A table and two chairs sat near the fireplace, and a small but comfortable-looking bed stood nearby. Once Lee had a hearty blaze going, he looked at David and winked as he unpacked the knapsack he had brought into the cottage, pulling wine, bread, and all sorts of culinary delights wrapped in silken napkins. 

Lee laughed softly at David’s bewildered expression. “I stopped by the wedding feast before I came to get you. Nicked a few bits and bobs while nobody was looking.” He finished laying the food out on the expensive china he had apparently also liberated and moved toward David.

David laughed in return as Lee came over to help David off with his coat, the laugh turning to a small gasp as Lee nipped the soft skin just below his ear. “So you were planning on carrying me off and ravishing me all along?”

Lee divested himself of his own coat and led David to the table where their banquet awaited. “Carrying you off, definitely. As for ravishing…I was hoping you might be persuaded…” He popped a bit of cheese into his mouth, his eyes sparkling with the bawdy humor that David knew so well.

David blushed and took a sip of wine. “I suspect I might not take much persuading,” he set down his goblet and looked at Lee, the months of longing naked on his face.

Lee took a ragged breath, then took David’s hand in his. “All in good time, pet. We have the rest of our lives.”

Excitement flickered through David at both Lee’s touch and the implication. They were both finally free. But how would they live? David couldn’t very well head back to his house and face the angry demands, the tearful remonstrations, and worst of all, the breach of promise suit that would surely come. And what of Lee? How long could they run? Where could they go? David pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the moment. Lee was here, Lee was smiling into his eyes, Lee loved him.

Over the course of their meal, they talked about what had transpired during their time apart. David suspected Lee was glossing over much of what he had suffered while imprisoned, especially the beatings and starvation, but he knew now was not the time to press him. Lee shook his head sadly as David recounted his ensnarement at the hands of Elizabeth and her father.

“They really had you hooked, didn’t they?” Lee said with no small amount of sympathy.

David shrugged and swallowed his bite of apple. “I didn’t stand much of a chance. When you were caught, everything seemed pointless. I thought any hope of happiness had died for me.”

Lee face held an unreadable expression for a moment, then he smiled and again took David’s hand, pulling him to his feet and leading him to the bed. He pulled David close and looked into his eyes, stroking his hair tenderly.

“Never.”

With that, Lee claimed David in a deep, searing kiss, his tongue delving inside to taste and explore what he had been denied for so long. His arms wrapped tight around him, his hands roaming downward to crush David’s erection to his. Both men had been half hard since their arrival at the cottage, and now their cocks were at full attention, throbbing and ready.

Lee pushed David down on the bed with a bit more force than he’d intended, but David didn’t mind at all. He closed his eyes and moaned as Lee ripped open his waistcoat and shirt, descending on his chest to bite and suck at a nipple. Lee half pulled, half tore David’s shirt and waistcoat off as his mouth worked the other nipple, his hands moving lower to nimbly undo David’s breeches. His shoes and stockings were hurriedly pulled off and tossed across the cottage. His breeches quickly followed, leaving David bare and vulnerable in the warm light of the fire. Lee paused for a moment to slide his gaze slowly over David’s body, like a starving man about to partake in a long-delayed feast. He grinned and bit his lower lip, tracing a finger down David’s stomach before wrapping a hand around his turgid cock. David’s head spun at the contact.

Lee was about to lower his head to David’s length when he felt hands on his shoulders. He looked up to see David smiling at him with an uncharacteristically wicked gleam in his eye.

“As my brave rescuer, I believe you are owed a reward. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Lee stared at him questioningly, and David answered by sitting up and gently nudging Lee back on the bed. When David undid Lee’s breeches and freed his straining erection, Lee moaned in understanding, letting his head fall back on the pillows and threading his fingers through David’s hair in silent encouragement.

David’s technique had improved a great deal during their many encounters, his tongue nimbly flicking across Lee’s slit while his hands worked the hot shaft. The sound of Lee’s moans was music to his ears as he dragged his tongue slowly up the underside of his cock. He enveloped the head with his mouth, his tongue swirling and lapping up precum. He’d missed Lee’s flavor so much his whole body ached with it. He looked up to see Lee watching him with half-lidded eyes, his mouth open slightly to take in shallow breaths. David groaned around Lee’s cock and took him in deeper, his hands moving to stroke and cradle Lee’s balls. He moved his head up and down on Lee’s cock, sucking with renewed vigor. He wanted to drive Lee insane with desire. He wanted to make him feel the white-hot need that was coursing through his own veins. He wanted to make Lee cum.

Before he could do that, however, strong hands pulled him away and shoved him back onto the bed. Lee quickly divested himself of his own clothing, and David’s eyes devoured the sight of him, naked and magnificent. Lee pulled David’s legs up and back, exposing his most intimate place to him. Lee wasted no time in wetting a finger and rubbing it around David’s hole before sliding inside. Lee realized it had been a while since David had taken his cock, so he worked him carefully and patiently, gradually adding another finger to open him up. When his fingers found that hard nub inside and rubbed, David arched off the bed, his hands clutching at the bedsheets. Lee quickly withdrew his fingers and placed his cock at David’s entrance, looking deep into David’s eyes as he pushed slowly inside. 

When he was fully sheathed within David’s hot depths, he paused, letting David adjust to him. David, for his part, was more than ready, making small impatient noises and moving his hands to Lee’s arse, pulling him in deeper, silently begging Lee to fuck him.

Lee groaned and captured David’s mouth with his, his hips rolling, taking David with long, deep strokes. David whimpered against Lee’s mouth, his hands grasping at his back, reveling in the feeling of being so filled by him, so owned by him. His whimpers turned into a harsh cry, his mouth tearing away, as Lee’s pace quickened, the lust clawing at them both driving him onward. Lee sucked and bit at David’s neck as his cock began to plunder David’s body, fucking him with increasingly savage thrusts. Lee soon pulled his head up, his breathing labored as he pounded David’s arse mercilessly.

David was also gasping for breath, his entire world narrowed to where they were joined. He felt himself rushing headlong toward a shattering orgasm, and when it overtook him he shouted Lee’s name, his cum shooting thick and heavy across his stomach. His channel tightened as he came, triggering Lee’s own blinding climax. David let out a sound of pure pleasure as he felt Lee’s hot seed fill him, branding him from the inside out.

Lee caught himself before he collapsed on David, rolling to the side and laying there for long moments, both of them recovering. After a while, Lee pulled David into his arms, silently stroking his hair as he had done so many times before.

They lay like that for some time, entwined in each other’s arms, savouring their reunion. Still, David being David, the same nagging doubt emerged through the cloud of bliss and tugged at the back of his mind like an insistent child.

“Lee?”

“Mmmm?”

“What do we do now? I mean…how will we live?”

Lee pulled back to stare at David, an incredulous look on his face. “D’ye really think I haven’t gotten that sorted out?”

Lee nimbly got out of bed, David sitting up and watching him, trying not to make it obvious he was ogling his naked form in the firelight. Lee threw back a portion of the well-worn rug that lay in middle of the room, revealing a trapdoor which was firmly locked. After searching the pockets of his abandoned coat for a moment, he produced a key and swiftly unlocked the hatch. When he flung open the trapdoor, David’s breath was taken away.

Jewels, gold coins, silver plate, and all sorts of treasure were revealed glittering before David’s disbelieving eyes. Lee reached in and grabbed a handful of coins, letting them fall between his broad fingers, the clinking sound sharp in the room as they bounced off the other precious items. 

“We can use this to make our way to France. I have a little chalet there. From there, we can book passage on a ship and go…well, anywhere we want,” Lee smiled at David’s bug-eyed stare before climbing back into bed and playfully ruffling David’s hair. “Anywhere we want, David. We can start a new life together...if you’ll have me.” Lee’s expression held a mixture of cockiness and doubt which David found utterly enchanting.

David threw his arms around Lee, his heart full to bursting. Lee held him close, stroking his back in silence, relishing the feeling of David’s warm body against his.

“The colonies,” David said excitedly, pulling back for a moment. “They wouldn’t dare look for us there, not with the war still raging.”

Lee nodded, considering. “I have a cousin in Vermont,” he mused. “He could help us get started with a stabling business while you set up your new practice.” He smiled at David. “It might work, at that.”  


David beamed as Lee pulled them both down to lay on the bed, Lee beginning to kiss and suck at David’s neck in a most distracting fashion. Their new lives wouldn’t be easy, he knew. There would be suspicion and rumor surrounding two confirmed bachelors living together, looking at each other the way they did, refusing all female companionship. David once again shoved all doubts aside as Lee began kissing his way down David’s stomach. Whatever trials they faced would be worth it. He had his Lee now, and that was all that mattered.


End file.
